High School Dreams.

I went tonight to a high school in my district and watched their big fall play with a co-worker of mine. The show was High School Musical, which I've seen before on the Disney channel, but this was my first live show.

I've mentioned in the past that I work in an urban district- one with many English-language learners, low socio-economic families, kids who deal with gang violence and drug addictions on a daily basis. Some of these kids weren't taught how to respect adults, each other, or themselves. Many of them want to shine, but don't know how. Some of them have great role models in their lives, and some of them do not.

But you know something? I didn't see any of that tonight. Tonight, I saw dreams. I saw hope, and joy, and I saw kids who worked really hard on something and who were proud of what they accomplished. I saw kids having the time of their lives on the stage. In fact, I felt myself wishing that I could have something like that, something so joyous, that I could be a part of. I wanted to take their place for a minute just to see how it felt. The kids did awesome. They were absolutely amazing.

One of my co-workers said something to me tonight that I felt resonate deep inside of me. She said, "how come these kids have to deal with a building that's falling apart and science equipment that's old and broken? Why do they have to get the crap-end of the stick, when kids one town over are given every opportunity and their schools are nothing but the best?"

And you know what? I want to know why. I want to know why I can't have lab equipment for my students that isn't falling apart and goggles that will actually protect their eyes. I want to know why my kids have to come everyday to a school with a ventilation system that's only getting them sick. I want to know WHY my kids have been signed off and forgotten about by society. I want to know WHY people, government, the world, takes one look at my students and decides they don't deserve better. Is it just because their parents don't make a lot of money? Is it because they were born into lives that they didn't ask for? Is it because they aren't worth it?

Because let me tell you. As stressful as my job is, as much as I want to scream at the top of my lungs sometimes, or take my students by the shoulders and shake a little sense into them, or just go home and crawl into my bed, there is one thing I know for a fact- these kids are worth it. I will not give up on them.

Tonight I saw kids do something I could never do- get on stage in front of their families, friends, total strangers, and put on a musical. I saw dreams on their faces. I could practically taste the accomplishment. I was in awe. I hope that, someday soon, the world can see it too.